Like the World had Ended
by Kanna37
Summary: A brother's reflections on his sister's state of mind after Aang's fall in Ba Sing Se.


**Like the World Had Ended**

~A~

The easy lap of waves against the sand gave sound to Katara's world, but she didn't seem to hear it. She had been staring blankly at the horizon for hours, and the only time she looked at anything else it was at Aang, to check on his condition.

Sokka was really worried about the absence of any seeming life in her eyes. It was like the light had been snuffed out from his sister's spirit, and that was a very frightening thing, because Katara's spirit had managed to get her through everything their lives had already thrown at them. But this blow... this one might just be the one that destroyed her.

He wasn't stupid, and he knew that his sister had 'those' feelings for Aang, though she hadn't really realized it yet. Then again, as he watched her look away from the sea and turn her gaze down on the boy resting next to her as comfortably as she could make him, maybe she finally _had_ realized. That look in her eyes... he recognized it. It was the same way he'd felt after Yue had died. Though maybe not quite as deeply, he sighed. She might try to fight it, but in the end, as long as Aang defeated the Firelord and survived, she'd be his wife. He could already see it, since it had been completely obvious to him since early in their journeys that the young avatar adored his sister just as much.

If Katara was the one to die, Aang would probably go into the Avatar State, destroy the world, and then die as well just to join her. She would be a weapon in the wrong hands, and at this point, _all _hands were the wrong ones. If the Firelord wanted to destroy Aang, killing his sister would be his best bet. The only thing that had saved her so far was that Ozai hadn't realized what she meant to the avatar. Perhaps he'd have to have a talk with her sometime, once she'd calmed some and before Aang awoke and have all this out. No matter their feelings, no one should be privy to those emotions until this was over and everyone was safe.

For now, though... maybe she wouldn't mind a little comfort.

"Hey," he said softly as he sat down next to her, "how's he doing? Has he woken again at all?"

Glancing his way with those dead eyes, she shook her head. "No."

"And how are you?"

What scared Sokka the most was that in that moment, he'd been sure that his question, a stupid one by deliberation, would have sparked some life back into her, even if only through her temper. But it didn't. She remained as lifeless and cold and _empty_ as she had since Aang had fallen back into unconsciousness.

"How does it look like I am, Sokka?" she returned in a dead tone.

"Katara... what... what happened under Ba Sing Se? What happened to Aang, and you?"

So she told him, in a dry monotone that didn't do anything for his confidence. It seemed that if the avatar didn't survive, neither would Katara. He was shocked at what she told him, there was no denying that, and angry at Zuko for the things he'd told his sister about rethinking his stance on Aang and the war, and then turning around at the first opportunity and betraying his own words to join with Azula in attacking his sister and the boy laying almost lifelessly at her side. He could clearly hear her guilt for even considering that he might be telling her the truth and empathizing with him, and it was disconcerting that guilt was the only emotion she seemed capable of displaying in that otherwise lifeless voice.

He clenched a fist, angry on behalf of his sister, and angry on behalf of his best friend, who might never wake up again. If he didn't, the world would end as they knew it as the Fire Nation would finally and forever win the war. Aang was the only thing standing in Ozai's way, and he hated the fact that it was a barely thirteen year-old boy that was in that position. Hell, Aang was younger than him, and fate had decided to cast him in this role with no care as to what the boy might lose in the pursuit of his given destiny. He hated all of it. The war, fate, the Fire Nation... would any of it ever end? He glanced at Aang and sighed. Not if _he_ didn't wake up. He couldn't even imagine having to watch Azula's strike hit and Aang's fall, and he wasn't the one in love with the young man.

Yes, young man. If fate figured he was old enough to do to him what they had, then he deserved to be acknowledged as what he was, Sokka admitted to himself. He really wasn't a little boy anymore. The fight for life, for freedom was enough to age anyone, no matter their true age, and he'd seen first-hand evidence of that many times. Hell, he and Katara were living proof of that themselves, for fate had thrust the cruelty of life at he and his sister the day their mother was murdered and their father left to fight in the war – and for revenge. He'd adored his wife, and her murder had left him just as dead as Katara seemed right now... for a little while. And then he'd raged with his pain, and been determined to take vengeance for her loss and his family's agony.

He sighed softly again and looked at his sister, who was once more staring out at the horizon, seemingly no longer even aware that he was there. He acknowledged wryly that she probably wasn't. The only thing that she was hyper-aware of was Aang.

"He'll be okay, Katara. It might take a while for him to heal his spirit and his energy as you did his body and wake back up, but he will. You'll see."

His quiet confidence didn't seem to penetrate the winter landscape of his sister's own spirit due to Aang's injuries, and Sokka shook his head wearily and stood up to go sit next to Toph in order to give his sister the space she seemingly needed right now.

He could only hope that Katara didn't try to take on the Fire Nation all by herself when her own winter ended and the rage kicked in... which would be infinitely worse if Aang _didn't_ wake. She would fight until she died and followed her unacknowledged love into the spirit world, forever lost to those who loved her and were still alive.

Although, if Aang died and Ozai won just like he'd thought on earlier, it wouldn't really matter, because they'd all be dead - or miserable and wishing they were.

It would be just like the world had ended.


End file.
